Something Precious
by CrimsonStainedDragon
Summary: Aridia is the daughter of a Fire Nation noble and an elemental dragon spirit, she also leads an entire fleet of orphaned warriors and benders from around the world. After meeting the Aang, she gives up the only life, and family, she's ever had. Once captured she must do everything in her power to hide her true power as the Avatar Incarnate. Critisism welcome.


**This is my second Avatar fanfic.**

**I own nothing, if I did, it would be shared with my yaoi fangirl sister RavingRabidYaoiFangirl. Imagine how that would end...unless you have a vivid imagination and are a major pervert. This contains an OC, because most of the time she is a quick-witted, smart-assed, rebel with a superiority complex that would greatly annoy Zuko.**

* * *

She had to get to her ship, to warn the Avatar and his friends. Her Fire Nation naval uniform was nothing like her normal clothes, it was heavy and weighed her down, still she pressed on, to the other side of the island. There was no way she was letting the real Fire Nation catch the Avatar. She thought back to the groups reaction to them, and if it hadn't been for Jay's shadow bending abilities she might have been hurt. The group had panicked and fought, the waterbender she now knew as Katara attacking first.

It was a battle that was over before it started, Jay wrapped them in shadows and restricted any movement. He to wore a Fire Nation uniform as well, but made his hatred of it known everyday. Ever since they made the abandoned ship their glorious home.

_~Flashback~_

_(1 week prior)_

_"Aridia! Where are we going!" The boy called to her, his dark eyes watching their unquestioned leader. His long, dark hair waved slightly in the breeze of the night. In each arm he held a small child, and another on his back. It was the same all down the line of teenagers, each carrying at least one child. The girl in question had long silvery hair that would often become tinted with another color to signify her mood, she carried two children under each arm and one on each shoulder. For her it was a simple task, and one she had preformed easily almost every day. She turned her silver eyes on him for a moment, before looking towards the small crimson light they followed._

_"Sage found something for us, he said Shanna pushed it ashore for us." Her hair had been tinted green due to the village they passed through, where curious families watched out their windows or ignored them in favor of the meals on their tables. They laughed or joked and payed no mind to the large band of children passing through. Silver was her state of calm, of peacefulness, and to see her eyes and hair both the pure silver it was at the moment was a comfort to the rest._

_They soon reached the beach and saw the water still pouring of off the large Fire Nation warship. The crimson light hovered in front of Aridia's face, revealing a small, horned snake no longer than her hand, with two sets of bat wings,__ the second being a fourth of the size of the first. It looked proud of itself and so did the long-necked sea-dragon that pulled itself onto the beach with it's flippered feet. The group pitched their tents, about twenty earth bending children summoned the earth through the layers of sand and formed large tents of rocks. a group of firebenders prepared their food without lighting an actual fire, while the waterbenders, remaining firebenders, and, yes, a few airbenders removed the water from the ship and dried what the could._

_They spent the next day cleaning out the warship and making it a cozy home for their not-so-little group, Benders Eternally United, although it's design was altered incase they needed to leave. That day she also handed out the altered uniforms she had found aboard the ship that she had wash and mended herself._

_"If we run into the Fire Nation, they won't think much of us." She had said, although the yellow tint in her hair showed her uneasiness._

_~End Flashback~_

"You need to leave now!" Aridia yelled to the young airbender, Aang, and his companions from the Southern Water Tribe, Katara and Sokka. They looked up.

"Why?" Asked Aang, a confused expression crossing his face. The other two also looked confused. Aridia took a deep breath and looked directly into each of their eyes as she spoke three words:

"Fire Nation ships." The Gaang was on their feet instantly and gathered their belongings. They jumped over the side of the ship and ran to Appa, but instead of leaving, they retreated into the forest to hide, mostly because they were worried that the chidlren on board. It wasn't long afterwards that they saw the Fire Nation ship dock on the beach. Sage growled as the door fell open onto the beach, unknowingly crushing some of the younger children's sand castles that they built with Aang.

The teens still on the deck flinced as they saw her hair flash a bright firey red. The color intensified as they watched two people exit the ship. One was an older man with gray hair and a kind expression. The other was a boy about her own age with black hair pulled into a ponytail, a large scar covered half of his face. Jay ran to the railing as Aridia leapt over it and approached the pair swiftly,"May I help you sirs?" She didn't smile but the red slowly faded back to silver.

"Ah...yes we would like to speak to your superior officer about your ship being docked so far from the next Fire Nation colony." The old man said kindly. She returned his smile.

"We needed to make repairs right away, if we didn't, our ship would have sank long before we got there. There seems to be a good bit of damage done to one of our engines, though." She stated, smiling as she watched her water dragon stick her head above the water to see what happened. "Oh and I am Admiral Ari."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Ari. I'm Iroh, and this is my nephew, Prince Zuko." Iroh intoduced himself and his nephew. Aridia gained a thoughtful expression, which caught Zuko's attention.

"Zuko, huh? I think I'll call him Sparky!" Zuko narrowed his eyes and growled at her, obviously upset, while the oblivious girl clapped her hands happily.

"Do. Not. Call. Me. Sparky." He warned, watching as she turned away from them to leap onto her ship. She beckoned for them to follow her, which they did. Once on board they noticed to obvious lack of adults. "Where are your soldiers?"

"Well, they're dead if you mean adults, the only soldiers here are the teens and children on board." She smiled proudly at the mention of her crew, although she did not miss Iroh's concerned glance.

"You mean you have no one here for you? What of your families?" By then every child was on the deck and staring at the newcomers. The question, so simple, had a devastating effect on them. Many of the young ones started crying,turning to depressed looking teenagers for support. Even Aridia reached briefly to stroke a shield shaped pendent with a swirl in the center with one hand, the other trying momentarily to reach a spot on her back. She seemed to stand stiffer, tensing up, but giving her attention to the crying children who went to her.

"We have no families, we only have each other." Aridia stated with nothing but a comforting tone to her voice. Jay stepped up, dark hair swaying.

"We don't need anyone aside from each other! We are our own family, and we were brought together by Ari!" He said loudly, using her alias. Some of the others nodded.

"We'd follow her to the ends of the earth! We are loyal more to our leader than our nation!" One of the children called out. Aridia put her hand up and everyone instantly became quiet.

"What do you guys say to letting these people join us for dinner?" No one said a word as they looked at each other nervously. Aridia sighed."You can force Sparky there to go down the water slide." Zuko jumped slightly in suprise. All the children shrieked in glee and dragged Zuko off into the forest, with a ton of protests, up a slope to a spot they had found where the water was moving faster and dipped into a long tunnel before pouring out into the ocean near the docked ships. Aridia followed them moments later.

* * *

She personally loved the spot, what with it's array of plants and flowers and how at night the walls would glow with a soft greenish tint because of the crystals in them. There were even some in the slide, but the smooth surface proved that they were not sticking through the rocks. Speaking of the slide, she could see Zuko arguing with the children about going down.

"Please Sparky?" One of the littlest begged. Zuko glared at the kid, but the kid didn't seem to notice.

"Don't call me that." Zuko huffed, looking up at Aridia as she appeared.

"I'll call you whatever I want. Just because your a prince doesn't mean your better than us." She saw how he narrowed his eyes and how his lips pulled into a slight frown, although most would never have noticed. She always noticed the little things.

"I never said I was." Zuko snapped, crossing his arms.

"Actions speak louder than words, Sparky." She countered.

"Go to hell."

"Already been there, not so bad might I say."

"I think I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual."

It was then they noticed that the children had already gone down the slide and that the sun had started to sink (well the walk up wasn't 10 seconds).  
"Great, I'm walking back." Zuko said sarcastically as he began walking back down the path, but was stopped when Aridia grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the slide.

"C'mon we're taking the quicker way."

* * *

"I wonder what's taking Zuko so long..."Iroh wondered aloud. Some of the returning children smiled at him.

"It should be soon since Ari is up there!" They stated before running to play in the sand. Iroh raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it.

* * *

"GO DOWN THE FREAKING SLIDE ALREADY!" Aridia yelled at Zuko, who was putting up quite a fight. She had a slight advantage, since she used one hand to hold both of his hands behind his back and pushed him foreward with her other hand. In retaliation Zuko dug his heels into the ground, leaning backwards as if he were trying to push her back.

"NO!"

"Why? Are you scared?!"

"I'm not scared!" Zuko yelled at her. She shoved him forward, letting go. Then she pointed at the slide.

"Then go."

"I changed my mind, I don't hate you. I LOATHE you." Zuko said. He climbed onto the edge.

"Your going to wear your clothes?" She asked.

"I refuse to strip infront of you." He stated sending her a glare. She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I refuse to do that as well. Besides, I don't want to worry if you decide you like what you see." She retroted.

"As if I would! You've got nothing to show!" It got real quiet after that comment. Zuko just realizing what he had said and Aridia covering the urge to kill. "I'll just...go..." With that he disappeared into the tunnel. Aridia sighed, well, the heavy clothes remain on.

"Hmph, what does he know! I mean I don't look that bad." She learned over the calmer part of the pond, looking at her reflection."Maybe a little beaten down, weather worn? Tired I guess, but who wouldn't be? With my position..." She sighed and turned away. Instead of climbing into the tunnel, she dove in head first.

* * *

She was having too much fun it should have been criminal. The slide was more fun when you went down on your stomach. She couldn't help but wonder how Zuko had reacted to the part she loved most, where it twisted at akward angles and sometimes flipped you over. Of course, she didn't really care when she nearly landed on the firebender. He had just yelled at her for it.

Now the two sat on the beach wringing out their clothes as best as they could. Aridia spoke first.

"Let's get back to the ships, they're pretty close anyway." Aridia said standing. Zuko hesitated, since they had seen the ship, he had a feeling something was wrong. He wanted to leave, but he followed her back willingly. The moment they set foot on the girl's ship he went straight for the captain's quarters, making sure no body noticed. Maybe he could find something.

The room was simple, with a bed in one corner, a desk in another and a few statues. Inside he searched for anything, but came up empty handed. Just as he was about to leave he spotted a small box in the corner that had taken some serious damage via water. Maybe that would help...

* * *

The Fire Nation crew began to leave, saying good night to the children. Just as they began boarding the ship however, Zuko ran out on deck, and held up a small journal.

"STOP! THESE PEOPLE ARE IMPOSTERS! THIS SHIP HAD SUNK DURING ONE OF THE BATTLES!" Zuko leapt over the side of the ship as the children made to pull him back. He handed the book to his uncle, once they were close enough, who had flipped to the final pages. With a solemn expression he looked at the children.

"It is true, the ship had sunk and the crew had been trapped on board. No one survived according to this." Zuko nodded.

"Capture them, we can turn them in to the Fire Nation." Zuko ordered, despite the looks of horror on the children's faces as the soldiers approached.

* * *

**So? I might need a bit of help here, I think.**


End file.
